Compare towns
Cavendish vs Ripton vs Hyde Park vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Cavendish | Ripton | Hyde Park | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Highest |
508Lowest |
513 |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
42.6±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Hyde Park and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41% VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$89,946±$10k 11% above VT |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above VT |
| Ripton and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$221,800±$57kLowest 30% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
— | $1,306±$285Highest 6% above VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
| Hyde Park and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948 22% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,893Lowest 23% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±47.5 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 min 11% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #59 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.